Irving Koppel

Longtime California educator and social justice activist Irving Koppel (age 96), died on Sunday, April 27th at Duke Hospice Hock Family Pavilion due to complications from uremia. He taught World History and French for over 30 years primarily at Irvington High School in the Fremont Unified School District. Additionally, Irving was an active member and organizer with the American Federation of Teachers, the California Teachers’ Association and the Fremont Democratic Party.

Irving was known for his wry sense of humor and his thoughtful, Socratic classroom discussions that challenged his students to think for themselves. He was a proud “New Dealer” and democratic socialist who believed in the power of government to improve the lives of its citizens, Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, Irving participated in local politics and helped organize members of the Fremont Unified District Teachers Association to fight for improved salaries, smaller class sizes and health benefits. Irving was also an active member of both Temple Emanu-El in San Jose as well as Temple Beth Torah in Fremont.

Irving was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 9th, 1928 to Eddie and Sophie (Kaufman) Koppel. He was named Isaac in honor of his late maternal grandfather. His father ran an independent fruit and vegetable business out of a truck and moved the family back to Eddie’s hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition to his parents, Irving had a younger sister Annette Koppel and a younger brother Stewart Koppel both of whom eventually resettled in Los Angeles.

During the Great Depression, the Koppels moved nearly every year in order to find less expensive housing. As a result, Irving attended four different elementary schools in his predominantly Jewish neighborhood. After graduating from Washington High School in the late 1940’s, Irving attended both the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He graduated in 1952 with a bachelor’s degree in history. Feeling restless, Irving set out for California where he received his teaching credential from the University of California - Berkeley and taught in California public high schools from 1954 - 1988.

In 1968, Irving married Patricia Ann Taber, a Fremont high school English teacher originally from Bakersfield, California. Together, they raised a family of three children and settled in the Warm Springs neighborhood of Fremont. Following their retirement, Irving and Patricia resettled in Durham, North Carolina to live closer to their daughter and youngest son.

In addition to teaching and social activism, Irving enjoyed classical, Yiddish, folk, swing, opera, and musical theatre, attending concerts and dramatic performances, watching movies, collecting stamps, reading history and historical novels, and participating in water aerobics.

Irving Koppel is survived by his wife Patricia, his eldest son David, drama director at Washington High School in the Fremont Unified School District, his daughter Danielle, director of Tejase Healing Arts in Carrboro, NC, Elliott, director Marketing Analytics at Red Hat in Raleigh, NC, his grandchildren Owen and Joshua as well as his nieces Carol Hines and Kim Freeman.

He was preceded in death by his parents Eddie and Sophie Koppel as well as his siblings Annette and Stewart Koppel.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CalRTA91 to support retired Fremont, CA teachers. Scholarship, CalRTA91 P.O. Box 643 Fremont, CA 94537-0643. Donations may also be made to Student CA Teacher’s Association.